No. 25: Catcher Gerardo Rodriguez
Gerardo Rodriguez and Jorge Rodriguez (who would be on this list if he made his Single-A debut last year and would likely be right next to Gerardo in the rankings) are not related to my knowledge. However, both are catchers out of Venezuela who could save the Red Sox when it comes to catching prospects in 2026.
Gerardo Rodriguez spent a little time in Single-A in 2024, but was back in the FCL to start 2025. The likely reason for this was that his bat seemed to be completely devoid of power. He was making contact, but wasn’t doing much with it. That changed when he returned to Salem in 2025.
Rodriguez slashed .297/.372/.500 with four doubles, one triple, and three home runs in 22 games for Salem. The right-handed hitter drove in 11 runs, scored nine more, and stole one base. He walked nine times compared to 13 strikeouts.
Rodriguez is a good defensive catcher, and he showcased a strong arm in Salem. He’s not much in terms of speed, but he was smart on the base paths.
Listed at 5’10, 177 lbs, Rodriguez is a good size for a catcher. With some semblance of power showing up in 2025, it’s exciting to think about what could improve in 2026 (and beyond). Just 19, Rodriguez could have a lot of development left in his game. Even if the offense doesn’t improve much, a defensive-minded catcher will always have a spot on a team.
Hit: 40
Power: 35
Run: 30
Arm: 55
Field: 50
Overall: 40
No. 24: Outfielder Allan Castro
Allan Castro had a tough 2024 season, but got back on track in 2025. It felt like he stopped trying to force home runs, and that made all the difference.
Castro spent time in High-A and Double-A in 2024, slashing .229/.343/.400. He hit just .180 (.504 OPS) in 28 games after being promoted. The switch-hitter’s fantastic 14% walk rate was offset a bit by a 23.4% K rate that could use some work.
In 2025, Castro slashed .268/.353/.400 in 92 games in Double-A. The OPS was only 10 points higher than the previous year, but the numbers were much better than his Portland stats. His walk rate dropped to a still strong 11.3% and he cut his strikeout rate down to 20.4%.
Castro still has some good raw power, and he could hit 20-plus homers in a season. Outside of that, he works counts, and improved his average nicely last season. The 22-year-old is a solid corner outfielder with a decent arm and athleticism. He’s fast enough to steal some bases, but it’s not a big part of his game.
Castro would likely be viewed a little more favorably if he weren’t in an organization with a dozen good outfielders. However, he could still be a fun depth option who could grow from there.
Hit: 45
Power: 45
Run: 40
Arm: 40
Field: 40
Overall: 40
No. 23: Left-handed pitcher Shane Drohan
The Red Sox lost Shane Drohan to the Chicago White Sox in the Rule 5 Draft ahead of the 2023 season. However, a rough 2024 brought him back to Boston.
In 2025, the left-handed pitcher posted a 2.27 ERA, .185 BAA, and 1.01 WHIP in 12 appearances (11 starts) in Triple-A. He struck out 67 batters compared to 16 walks in 47 2/3 innings. Drohan looked like the 2023 Double-A version of himself again. The 26-year-old was missing bats and had a few spectacular outings.
Drohan’s fastball works in the low-to-mid 90s without a ton of movement. He has a solid command of it, though. The big development this year is that we didn’t see his velocity fall off a cliff as the year went on, and he was able to hold the velocity later into games, two issues he’s had in the past.
The lefty’s cutter sits in the high-80s with a decent short snap to it. He has good control of the pitch and can use it to find the strike zone, but it’s not baffling hitters. His curveball plays around 76 MPH with a big drop. Drohan has good control of the pitch, a recurring theme so far. The curveball is one of his better pitches when it comes to getting whiffs, though.
Finally, his best pitch, the changeup. In the low-80s with a steady drop, this is the pitch he can get the ugliest swings out of. It certainly helps that Drohan makes it look like a fastball out of his hand.
Drohan was once one of the most promising arms in the system, upon his return, he’s done a good job building his stock up quickly. Concerns over whether he’ll be a starter long-term (due to injuries, among other factors) hurt his potential a bit. He could still become a solid back-end starter or a tricky lefty out of the bullpen.
Fastball: 40
Cutter: 35
Curveball: 45
Changeup: 50
Control: 45
Overall: 40
No. 22: Left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rivera
Eduardo Rivera has to win the award for “most pleasant surprise,” right? The left-handed pitcher was released by the Athletics organization midway through the 2024 season after struggling in High-A. Things immediately clicked for him in Boston’s organization, and he had a breakout 2025.
Rivera posted a 2.48 ERA, .177 BAA, and 1.16 WHIP in 20 appearances (15 starts) between High-A and Double-A. The lefty struck out 108 batters compared to 46 walks in 87 innings.
Rivera is massive (6’7”, 237 lbs), which makes his mid-high 90s fastball that much more imposing. I am a bit worried that his fastball lost velocity as the season went on. His cutter drops to the high-80s with decent movement, but it is likely his worst pitch.
The 22-year-old has a curveball (hovering around 80 MPH) and a slider (mid-80s), both with decent movement. Both are inconsistent, though. At their best, they can put hitters off balance with their sharp breaks. His command of the pitches is iffy — sometimes left flat, sometimes he doesn’t know where they’re going. Finally, Rivera has a solid changeup that sits in the mid-high 80s with fantastic drop. Again, command is the issue here.
Rivera has major upside, but a very low floor due to his control issues and inconsistency when it comes to how sharp his pitches are. He's still a fantastic addition to the minor league system for Boston. He could become a stud rotation piece or never see the majors. Neither would be a surprise.
Fastball: 55
Cutter: 35
Changeup: 45
Curveball: 35
Slider: 40
Control: 35
Overall: 40
No. 21: Infielder Starlyn Nunez
Staryln Nunez was the lifeblood of the 2025 Salem Red Sox (now the Ridge Yaks). The switch-hitter slashed .249/.306/.407 with 24 doubles, eight triples, and eight home runs. He drove in 52 runs, scored 54 more, and stole 21 bases.
Nunez was a constant spark plug, giving Salem’s “bleh” offense life when they most needed it. The now-20-year-old has some swing-and-miss in his game, but around a 20% K rate isn’t bad. He has decent in-game power, which could improve as his 6’0”, 155 lb frame fills out.
Nunez is a solid athlete. He’s not blazing fast, but he has enough speed to swipe some bags and take extra bases. Defensively, he has a solid arm and played well enough at second base, third base, and shortstop. The errors piled up, but it was a combination of mental mistakes, tough plays, and having Single-A first basemen who usually can’t bail out their infielders like MLB first basemen could. Don’t worry about errors at the lower levels; Nunez passed the eye test as an infielder at all three spots.
Nunez is an interesting prospect. He’s raw, and all his tools could fluctuate. We might not be talking about him on this list at all next year, or we could be talking about him as one of the top prospects in the system.
Hit: 40
Power: 40
Run: 45
Arm: 45
Field: 40
Overall: 40
No. 20: Left-handed pitcher Hayden Mullins
Hayden Mullins started the year in High-A, but didn’t spend much time there. The left-handed pitcher posted a 2.21 ERA, .177 BAA, and 1.11 WHIP in 22 appearances (21 starts) between High-A and Double-A. He struck out 123 batters compared to 51 walks in 101 2/3 innings.
Mullins dominated nearly from start to finish in 2025. He’s impressed with his bat-missing ability. However, he needs to limit the walks to move up significantly.
The lefty features a fastball with good life that misses bats. It sits in the low-90s, but he can reach back to go mid-90s. His cutter is a few ticks down and can bite at times.
Mullins has a breaking ball (SoxProspects gives him a curveball and a slider, but Pipeline just gives him a slider). I can’t tell if they are different pitches or if he just has some inconsistencies. The pitch can range from high-70s to mid-80s and has a good sweeping break to it. It misses plenty of bats, and whatever you want to call it, it’s probably his best pitch.
Finally, there’s a changeup that dips nicely when at its best. Out of his hand, it looks like his fastball, but it is significantly slower (low-80s).
Mullins will need to improve his command if he wants to stick in the rotation, but he has a fun pitch-mix with fantastic strikeout ability, which could make him a dominant reliever or a solid back-end rotation starter.
Fastball: 45
Cutter: 40
Breaking Ball: 55
Changeup: 40
Control: 35
Overall: 40